Body size and tree species composition determine variation in prey consumption in a forest-inhabiting generalist predator.

ABSTRACT: Trophic interactions may strongly depend on body size and environmental variation, but this prediction has been seldom tested in nature. Many spiders are generalist predators that use webs to intercept flying prey. The size and mesh of orb webs increases with spider size, allowing a more efficient predation on larger prey. We studied to this extent the orb-weaving spider Araneus diadematus inhabiting forest fragments differing in edge distance, tree diversity, and tree species. These environmental variables are known to correlate with insect composition, richness, and abundance. We anticipated these forest characteristics to be a principle driver of prey consumption. We additionally hypothesized them to impact spider size at maturity and expect shifts toward larger prey size distrib

SUBMITTER: van Schrojenstein Lantman IM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8216911 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature